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E46 (1999 - 2006) The fourth generation 3 Series (E46 chassis) was introduced in 1999 and set the standard for engineering and performance during it's years of production including being named to Car & Driver's 10 best list every one of those years! ! -- View the E46 Wiki

Every Saturday I spend $6.99 at Advance Auto for Aluminum Wheel Cleaner and $8 at the local car wash. 80% of my time is spent spraying off my wheels. I am SO SICK of brake dust. Look at the amount of dust I get from Saturday to today. I didn't even DRIVE my car yesterday!!!!

There has got to be a lower dust pad that performs the way I like. I can't afford this anymore!!!

Holy crap, Smolckie !
Do you wash your wheels every day ? You`re burning through a lot of wheel cleaner ! I`ve found that those cheapie disposable foam paint brushes work great on 135s, they fit perfectly between the spokes, and allow you to bang out a wheel pretty quickly....

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The road goes ever onward....
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When faced with choosing between two evils, always go with the one you`ve never tried before....

seriously though, I'm paying attention to this thread, as I will be due for new pads in the coming months, and would like less dust then OEM. I don't drive it hard, so I definitely don't need anything rediculously high performance, plus I like the OEM feel...

seriously though, I'm paying attention to this thread, as I will be due for new pads in the coming months, and would like less dust then OEM. I don't drive it hard, so I definitely don't need anything rediculously high performance, plus I like the OEM feel...

Brake pads are always a compromise....in most cases, reduced dust equals reduced feel with less grip on cold stops. What you like about the OEM pads is exctly what makes them generate so much dust. I`ve never heard of any pads that cover all the bases equally well....

__________________

The road goes ever onward....
(R.I.P. Jever)

*Please support the Disabled American Veterans*

When faced with choosing between two evils, always go with the one you`ve never tried before....

Every tried that wheel wax? Tom Williams sells it, but I'm sure you can get it online for cheaper.

Sent from the Bamavarian Nexus.

"Rejex" is one fairly popular brand of wheel-specific wax. When my E39 was brand-new, I spent a whole day putting about 5 coats of Carnuba wax on my wheels. I guess it made a little difference for a while, but it`s not something I`d care to do on a regular basis....

__________________

The road goes ever onward....
(R.I.P. Jever)

*Please support the Disabled American Veterans*

When faced with choosing between two evils, always go with the one you`ve never tried before....

I find that just using car wash detergent works just as well for cleaning wheels...

I agree. But see, unless you own a car with the wonderful looking and ridiculously hard to clean style 135 wheels, you can't understand the hassle. I find if I do it weekly, I can get them almost spotless by hosing them down with Eagle One Aluminum wheel cleaner, let sit, hit em one more time around, then use the high pressure rinse to get them clean. I HATE scrubbing them by hand, takes FOREVER!

Quote:

Originally Posted by wjjklj

Akebono Euro pads have zero dust and great stopping power. Use coupon code COLUMBUS10 for 10% off and free shipping at FCPEURO.com. Cheapest price for these brakes.

Never been impressed by Akebono, tried them before. Maybe it's just me. I use my brakes HARD a lot.

I'm in the same boat, except I have to do something about it soon, as my brake sensor has tripped. I'm considering the kit from Turner with Zimmerman rotors, PBR XBG pads, sensors and Ate Super Blue brake fluid, all for $317. Of course shipping will add another $60, but its still a good deal. Supposedly, these pads are an improvement over stock, but with much less dust. Smolk, for your car it'd be $419 + shipping. If I do get this kit, I'll let you know how it feels ASAP.

I use PBR brake pads and have absolutely no dust. BUT I do notice they do not bite as hard as the OEM pads what so ever. But when there wet.... there like track pads I kid you not lol.

Mal, which PBR pad are you using? And when you talk about bite, are you talking "rolling up to the stoplight first thing in the morning" bite, or "flogging it down Angeles Crest Highway and stomping the brakes to the edge of lock-up" bite?.

When chrome rims were in style, I used to keep a small (12"x12") towel in my trunk and I would use it to wipe my rims down once a day. It literally took 30 seconds and if you stay on top of it, it's wipes of easily.

Holy crap, Smolckie !
Do you wash your wheels every day ? You`re burning through a lot of wheel cleaner ! I`ve found that those cheapie disposable foam paint brushes work great on 135s, they fit perfectly between the spokes, and allow you to bang out a wheel pretty quickly....

Bang out a wheel pretty quickly....my ass. I use like 5 different brushes to clean my wheels, including the foam one for in between those spokes. Nothing is pretty quick about those rims...

I agree. But see, unless you own a car with the wonderful looking and ridiculously hard to clean style 135 wheels, you can't understand the hassle. I find if I do it weekly, I can get them almost spotless by hosing them down with Eagle One Aluminum wheel cleaner, let sit, hit em one more time around, then use the high pressure rinse to get them clean. I HATE scrubbing them by hand, takes FOREVER!

Never been impressed by Akebono, tried them before. Maybe it's just me. I use my brakes HARD a lot.

Smolck,

Car wash soap, and this brush, work for me, and I am just as OCD about my wheels as you. It takes me about 2 minutes per wheel, and the brush is VERY soft, and will not damage the finish.